Dispensing cap for collapsible tubes, having spring-biased outlet element actuated by pressure of tube contents



Patented Oct. 23, 1951 NITE o STATES rarer asie'Att DISPENSING CAPIFOR oiitrrhi siis ilariierfs; HAVING SPRING-BIASED.. .OUIL .T ELE- MENT ACTUATED BY PRESSUREOF TUBE:

CONTENTS 1' Claim.

The present invention relates toan automatic dispensing cap for paste tubes andthelike'," and has for an objectto provide a cap of this charac ter which may be readily attached to a standard type of'tubeupon removal'of the regular cap, orwhich, if desired, may be provided as an original part of the tube-byth'e manufacturer.

A further object is to provide a cap which may be conveniently and ebho'rnically' chiistrijrct'ed from moulded plastic material, and :wh'erei'n the: movable parts-will maintain an accurate fit and operative relation over a long period of use.

Andther object is to provide *acap having a springpresse'd valve closure member adapted in itsclo'sedpo'sition to close both"'the'regular outlet openingof 'the tube and the outlet'slot of the cap, and which isadapted to bemoved to open position throughpressure of the material contained in"'the"tube'"upon pressing the'sid'e's of the tube. It is particularly proposed to' provide a cap having an outlet slot provided witlrrelatively' sharp edges along" its upper and lowersides) and" in whlchthesurfaces of the cap"extend'in'gout wardly from the upper and lower edges of the slot are widely" divergent, and'jzo further provide the valve member cooperatin-g with the loutlet slot with a "relativelysharp-edge which i's -adapted in its closing movement to have a shearing action in cooperation with the edges of the slot. Thus, the possibility of a small amount of the extruded material remaining in the slot is prevented. This has been an objectionable feature of automatic caps heretofore in use, wherein a small amount of material would remain in the orifice, becoming hardened and impairing the proper operation of the automatic cap.

Another object is to provide a cap having an outlet slot provided along its lower edge with tooth portions, which impart to the extruded material a series of grooves along its under side so that the extruded material will not tend to slip off a brush or the like.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a paste tube, showing the cap according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the valve of the "g. ahorizonta'l sectional View, raked aing the1linef5 5 "of Fig. 1. i

Sim'lar ererenef characters; indicate e -re spending arts throughout the severarfigiires of s. t e; invention will findadv'antag'eous K various typesof containers itis particu larly advantageous in connection withfco'llapsible tubes f'the typeror d sipensn'ig tooth aste, shavingcf am'and the like. v V,

Referr ng to the drawings, the collapsible tube l lljis'ofconventional design, being provided at its upper end w th I an area -any threaded fneck I I, preferably provided at itsupp e'r end with a reduced diameter rim portion l 2 having an outlet opening l3. Thcldsur cap, according tothe illustrated exemplary embodimentof the invention, comprises a lower cylindrical collar portion i l, internally threaded to engage the threads of the neck 13, an inwardly convergent shoulder portion l 5, and a reduced diameter cylindrical g r ti l vi ted t s p e e nd pr vided internally with a cylindrical chamber I! for slidably receiving the valve, as will presently more fully appear. In its end wall the top portion is provided with a central vertically disposed cylindrical passage l8 for receiving the valve stem. In the engaged position of the cap upon the threaded neck of the tube the internal surface of the convergent shoulder portion l5 seats in sealing relation against the upper edge of the rim portion l2, the chamber l6 being of slightly less diameter than the external diameter of the rim portion l2.

An elongated outlet slot I9 is provided in the cap along the junction line between the shoulder portion l5 and the top portion I6, the upper edge of this slot being in the top portion while its lower edge is in the shoulder portion. By means of flat surfaces 20 and 2| the upper and lower edges of the slot are given a substantially sharp knife-like form, these fiat surfaces diverging outwardly so that they are not contacted by the extruded strip of paste as the latter is forced from the tube. Preferably, the lower edge of the slot is provided with a series of teeth 22, which impart to the extruded strip of paste a series of longitudinal grooves which are adapted to prevent the paste strip from slipping from a brush or the like.

The valve member 23 is of cylindrical form and is provided with a flat lower surface adapted in its closed position to seat upon the end of the rim portion I2. This flat lower surface forms with the cylindrical peripheral surface a sharp corner 24, which closely engages the inner cylindrical surface of the chamber I6, and constitutes with the knife-like edges of the slot 20, a shearing edge for sharply cutting off the extruded material and preventing any material from lodging in the slot. The valve is provided centrally with a vertical upwardly extending stem 25 slidably engaged in the passage l8, a helical compression spring 26 being engaged about the stem between the upper side of the valve and the top surface of the chamber I6.

In operation, the spring normally maintains the valve closed as shown in Fig. 2. Upon compressing the sides of the tube the paste or other material contained therein is forced out of the opening l3 and lifts the valve against the pressure of the spring, as shown in Fig. 3, the material thereupon being extruded in the form of a flat strip through the slot I9. Upon release of pressure the valve automatically closes under the pressure of the spring, shearing off the extruded strip of material and forcing the material disposed between the upper end of the rim l2 and the under side of the valve back into the tube. It will be observed that the extruded strip is sheared off in line with the knife edges of the slot l9, and that no portion of the extruded strip is in contact with the divergent flat surfaces 20 and 2| extending outwardly from the slot. Hence, there is no possibility of a small amount of material remaining in the slot to become hardened and impair the proper operation of the cap.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An automatic dispensing cap for collapsible paste tubes and the like having a neck portion provided with an outlet opening in its upper end, comprising a cap member including a lower cylindrical collar portion adapted to be removably engaged with said neck portion, an upwardly tapered conical shoulder portion having conical inner and outer surfaces, said inner surface adapted to engage with the outer peripheral edge of the upper end of said neck portion, and a cylindrical top portion having a cylindrical chamber therein, and having a cylindrical outer surface forming with said outer conical surface an annular corner, there being a lateral outlet slot partially in said top portion and partially in said shoulder portion having an upper flat wall inclined upwardly and outwardly from the cylindrical surface of said chamber and a lower flat wall inclined downwardly and outwardly from said conical inner surface, said upper and lower walls forming corners at each side of said slot in horizontal line with said annular corner, and a valve member engaged in said cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical peripheral surface and a lower surface forming a relatively sharp shearing edge therewith, and a spring engaged between the upper side of said valve member and the upper end of said chamber normally pressing said lower surface against the upper end of said neck portion with its cylindrical surface sealing said outlet slot.

LAWRENCE J. GARDINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS whe 

